Apr 26, 2012

Influences can be what you make them. For instance, I spent most of my formative years playing hockey and reading Silver Surfer comic books. I pretty much listened to whatever was given to me on the radio, and was pretty sheltered artistically. It was okay for what it was, but I look back and think that maybe I did it wrong.  I feel as if I’ve grown a lot...

Feb 2, 2012

I had somebody ask me the other day why I write for a blog about Des Moines and include so many bands who aren’t technically from Des Moines.  The answer is very simple. If you think of Des Moines less as a town and more as a music scene, then you have to include the talent from some neighboring cities.  Des Moines as a music scene, I think, includes the...

Jan 19, 2012

Sometimes I like to play a little game where I try immediately to guess who someone sounds like.  While people are, or course, making original music all time, they aren’t doing it without also listening to other artists, just like I am not writing this without also being influenced by what others have written.  Some of the best artists in the world carry...

Dec 15, 2011

I have been working on my year end lists (Next week!  Exclamation points! Shut up, I’m excited!) and I realized that I don’t listen to near enough hip-hop.  There have been some amazing albums from a diverse group of artists.  I have enjoyed albums from legendary wordsmiths like Talib Kweli, acts at newcomers like Big K.R.I.T, a mix tape or two from some...

Nov 17, 2011

When I was 18, I was already a college dropout.  I worked at McDonald’s because my close friend was the manager, and he didn’t care if I showed up late or broke trays over my head (and sometimes his) out of boredom or made cheeseburgers topped with leftover breakfast items (the McMuffin Burger is way better than it sounds).  I played hockey every night,...